Fiscal awareness and financial planning has existed for many years. Modern-day households receive bills on a regular basis from a number of service providers, and debt servicing agencies such as credit card companies, mortgage companies, etc. These bills typically arrive at different times during the month, because they are associated with different business entity's providing services and goods to the household. Typically associated with each bill is a payment deadline and a minimum payment amount due.
In addition to bills receipt for goods and services provided to the household, it is common for a household to experience other important financial deadlines such as dates to file tax returns and pay taxes owed, expiration dates for stock options, appointment dates for medical purposes, etc., and other deadlines.
To ensure that deadlines are not missed, people often pay their bills as those bills arrive, or alternatively pay them at one or more particular predesignated time periods during the month, such as on the 15th or 30th day of the month. Sometimes people and businesses put critical data relating to financial obligations in their calendars. Other people and businesses put those critical dates into a computer system and periodically check that computer system against a calendar in order to make sure that issues associated with the deadline are attended to in a timely manner.